My Own Sweet World
by Randoms 'R' Us
Summary: Ruth has never heard of the Twilight universe, until she steps through a portal to discover a world very different from her own, where she will find even her own identity is not the same as in her universe. Unable to return home, she is trapped in what seems like a fantasy (or perhaps even a fanfiction...who knows?), but could this loss turn out to be a blessing?
1. Chapter 1

"Ruth, for the millionth time, you are not going to that party, I need you to stay here and babysit Kayla."

Mum's screaming at me again. I've only asked to go to the party twice, and I don't see why I shouldn't go. I'm 18, I should be allowed to go to the eighteenth birthday party of my best friend in the entire world. Charlotte and I are like twins. We're in all the same classes at school and we're always visiting each other's houses. We're going to go to the same university next fall or, failing that, taking a gap year together first.

Besides, Kayla should be able to look after herself. She's 14 for Christ's sake; she doesn't need babysitting. But Mum won't hear of it. I sigh. I'm not resigned to it, I'll just have to sneak out tonight. I could threaten moving out, but then I might actually have to do so to make a point; and the idea of having to worry about rent and various other things just doesn't appeal. I leave the house, slamming the door behind me.

"You'd better be back by seven, young lady," the tyrant threatens.

"Shut up!" I scream, "I don't want to know. I don't care. I might just move out now and never come back. I don't want to see you ever again! I wish I'd never been born." Silence. I take off, running. This is DEFINITELY the calm before the storm. If I do go back tonight, I might find something missing or broken; if she's really mad, she might even break me. She's done that before. Hit me so hard across the face that my nose broke. When she took me to hospital, I said I'd walked into a wall. I was ten then, and scared that she'd hit me again if I told the truth. The second time was when I was fifteen, and she was drunk. She shoved me into a wall a bit too hard and gave me a concussion. I lied again; said I'd tripped. I was still scared of her. I don't think she ever meant to do it, and it had only happened once or twice, and for some unfathomable reason I still love and fear her in almost equal measure, enough that I would never tell anyone.

As I near the corner, I notice a strange shimmering patch of air to the side of the pavement. It pulls on the strings of my attention, drawing me in, pulling me towards it. By the time I am close enough to touch it, I know two things. One: It is not a good idea to walk through it. Two: I have no choice in the matter. As I make contact with it, there is a bright flash of light, and then darkness. I quite like the darkness, I reflect, as the sound starts to go too. It is calm, nice, almost like falling asleep. Then the darkness overcomes me, and there is nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

The blackness gets lighter, becoming a hazy fog as my new surroundings get slowly clearer and more defined. I have a killer headache. I try to sit up, but the headache gets worse, so I quickly lie back down, whimpering.

"Are you ok?" A voice asks, softly. I try to turn my head to see my companion but as I do a strange shiver runs down me, accompanied by a twist in my stomach as a strange sensation rips through me. I find myself on all fours, and see a huge, black wolf staring at me. On an unfamiliar instinct I snarl at it, and growl when it, too, snarls. I turn my head slightly and see a frame surrounding it. This is not a wolf, this is a reflection. My reflection. I panic, and the shiver runs through me again. This time the mirror shows a white tiger, but before I can look more closely it shudders and becomes a panther, a lioness, a cheetah and a lynx in quick succession. Then, pain ripples down me and I feel my form change again. When I look up, I am a paler version of my original self, but with red eyes and a burning pain in my throat. A second later, I am myself again.

I lie shaking on the floor, terrified, with tears running down my face. Someone helps me up and sits me on a sofa.

"It's alright," he tells me, "Don't worry." then a boy enters the room, and does a double take.

"You...she...the...I...what?..."

"Don't worry, Edward," the guy tells him, "Sam's on his way. We will get to the bottom of this," I wonder who Sam is, but let it pass. I look through my tears to see if I can find another window (should I call it a portal?), but there's nothing there.

"Are you ok now?"

"I...I...wanna...go home..." I choke out through frightened sobs. "It...hurts..." With a look of barely concealed concern, he gently brushes the hair out of my face.

"My name's Carlisle," he tells me, "I'm going to try and help you, but you have to trust me, ok?" I nod, and try to ease off on the crying. It's not like it's going to help. "So," he says, "What's your name?"

"R..Ruth," the tears may be stopping, but I can't speak properly because I can't stop my teeth chattering for long enough because I'm so scared.

"And how old are you?"

"18,"

"Has this happened to you before?"

"Randomly teleporting to...somewhere...or...um..." I wonder whether the phrase 'alternate universe' would be the right one, but decided against mentioning it.

"I meant the shapeshifting but now you mention it, the teleporting as well,"

"Never," I say, simply. My teeth have just about stopped chattering now, but my hands are shaking violently. A tall, muscular guy walks into the room, ducking under the door frame. He looks me up and down, thoughtfully.

"I don't think she's one of us, Carlisle," he says, "She doesn't look quite...She's not from around here. I would've said she was just an ordinary human, if you hadn't told me..." He notices me staring, "I'm Sam. You must be Ruth," I nod, "I don't suppose you could shift again, just so that I can see what happens?"

"I...I don't know how..." I whisper, "I didn't mean to in the first place,"

"Just try," I think about the feeling, trying to recall it perfectly, the shivering, the twist in my stomach...I feel it beginning, realise that this is not what I want but that it's too late, and become a panther. Then a tiger. Then, realising I have control over this, I feel a manic joy at the power I am wielding and change into a cat, a peacock, a poodle, a Chihuahua, a bear and finally a wolf. Eventually, the madness wears off and I become a human again. Everyone is staring at me, whether in awe or shock (or both) I don't know. Sam even looks a little afraid.

"Ok," he says, "I don't know what she is, but I would advise you keep her away from your...authorities. I don't think she'd be very popular with them,"

A small girl in the corner speaks up, "Oh, she'd be popular with them alright," she says, "as a collectable." This sounds ominous, so I pull my knees up to my chest.

"Alice, you're scaring her," the boy next to her speaks up.

"Oh Jaspar, stop being so oversensitive," Alice chides, "A little fear and respect for the Volturi is not a bad thing, as you're always reminding us," Jaspar ignores her.

"Sorry but...where exactly am I?" I ask.

"You're in Forks," Carlisle replies, "Why do you ask?"

"Umm...Forks?...I've never heard of it..." I reply nervously.

"It's in Washington...America?" he says, apparently surprised that I don't know, "So you had absolutely no control..."

"Well no, it was more like a sort of window in mid-air," Ominous glances pass around the room.

"I've never heard of anything like it," says Sam.

"Nor have we," says Edward, "Although, just to be sure...BELLA" he calls, and a girl about his age enters the room.

"Yes?" she says, but then she is distracted, her head swivels round to gaze almost thirstily straight at me. I sense danger, and transform instinctively into a form to match hers. But mine has red eyes. I feel strength build up in me, feel myself prepare to spring and attack this threat.

"Carlisle," Edward warns, and then I am being held back as Carlisle tries to calm me down and stop me from hurting her, the threat, the danger. Then Sam is in front of me, talking fast,

"You're not one of them, Ruth, change back, this is not what you want, do not do this, Ruth, look at me, they are vampires, killers, you do not want to join them..." I see the sense of his arguments, and change into a wolf instead. Then the room is filled with enemies. The only friend is the other wolf, the one in human form. I growl, but knowing there are too many of them I press my ears flat and, with my tail between my legs, cower behind him. Then he is a wolf too, and I can hear him.

_Ruth, it's ok, they aren't enemies, they won't hurt you. You just need to change back now, be human again, ok?_

_I'll try_

I change back, and so does Sam. But to my surprise, his clothes don't reappear with him. I yelp and look away, covering my eyes. When I turn around, though, he has clothes again. I suspect one of the vampires gave him clothes. Then I realise what I just thought and freak out about them being vampires.

"Great, Sam, well done, now she knows everything,"

"What was I meant to do? She kept changing into one of you, anyway, it was only a matter of time before someone got killed because she didn't know what she was in that form..."

It's all too much for me. I pass out.


End file.
